Who, hearing of our Marcius' banishment,

Thrusts forth his horns again into the world;

Which were inshell'd when Marcius stood for

Men.

Cannot be !
We have record, that very well it can ;
And three examples of the like have been
Within my age. But reason with the fellow,
Before you punish him, where he heard this;
Lest you shall chance to whip your information
And beat the messenger who bids beware

Of what is to be dreaded.

Mes. The nobles, in great earnestness, are going All to the senate-house: some news is come in,

That turns their countenances.

Sic.

'Tis this slave.

Go, whip him 'fore the people's eyes :-his raising! Nothing but his report!

Mes.

Yes, worthy sir,

The slave's report is seconded; and more,
More fearful, is deliver'd.

Sic.

What more fearful?

Mes. It is spoke freely out of many mouths, (How probable, I do not know) that Marcius, Join'd with Aufidius, leads a power 'gainst Rome; And vows revenge as spacious, as between

The young'st and oldest thing.

Sic.

This is most likely!

Bru. Raised only, that the weaker sort may wish Good Marcius home again.

Sic.

Men. This is unlikely :

The very trick on 't.

He and Aufidius can no more atone,1

Than violentest contrariety.

Enter another MESSENGER.

Mes. You are sent for to the senate:

A fearful army, led by Caius Marcius,
Associated with Aufidius, rages

Upon our territories; and have already

O'erborne their way, consumed with fire, and took What lay before them.

Enter COMINIUS.

Com. O, you have made good work!

Men.

What news? what news?

■ Unite.

Com. You have holp to ravish your own daugh

ters, and

To melt the city leads upon your pates;

To see your wives dishonor'd to your noses ;-
Men. What's the news? what's the news?

Com. Your temples burned in their cement; and
Your franchises, whereon you stood, confined
Into an auger's bore.

Men.

Pray now, your news?— You have made fair work, I fear me.-Pray, your

news?

If Marcius should be join'd with Volscians,

Com.

He is their god; he leads them like a thing
Made by some other deity than Nature,

That shapes man better; and they follow him,
Against us brats, with no less confidence,

Than boys pursuing summer butterflies,
Or butchers killing flies.

Men.

If!

You have made good work,

You, and your apron-men; you, that stood so much Upon the voice of occupation,' and

The breath of garlick-eaters!

Com.

He will shake

As Hercules

Your Rome about your ears.

Men.

Did shake down mellow fruit. You have made fair

work!

1 Mechanics.

Bru. But is this true, sir?

Com.

Ay; and you'll look pale

Before you find it other. All the regions

Do smilingly 1 revolt; and who resist,

Are mock'd for valiant ignorance,

And perish constant fools. Who is 't can blame him?

Your enemies and his find something in him.

Men. We are all undone, unless

The noble man have mercy.

Who shall ask it?

Com.
The tribunes cannot do 't for shame; the people
Deserve such pity of him, as the wolf

Does of the shepherds for his best friends, if they
Should say, 'Be good to Rome,' they charged him

even

As those should do that had deserved his hate,
And therein show'd like enemies.

Men.

'Tis true:

If he were putting to my house the brand

That should consume it, I have not the face

To say, 'Beseech you, cease.'-You have made fair

hands,

You and your crafts! you have crafted fair!

Com.

You have brought A trembling upon Rome, such as was never So incapable of help.

Tri.

Say not, we brought it.

1 With pleasure.

Men. How! Was it we? We loved him; but,

like beasts,

And cowardly nobles, gave way to your clusters,
Who did hoot him out o' the city.

Com.
But, I fear
They'll roar him in again. Tullus Aufidius,
The second name of men, obeys his points
As if he were his officer. Desperation
Is all the policy, strength, and defence,
That Rome can make against them.

Men.

Enter a troop of CITIZENS.

Here come the clusters.-

And is Aufidius with him?—You are they

That made the air unwholesome, when you cast
Your stinking, greasy caps, in hooting at
Coriolanus' exile. Now he's coming;

And not a hair upon a soldier's head,

Which will not prove a whip: as many coxcombs,
As you threw caps up, will he tumble down,
And pay you for your voices. "Tis no matter:

If he could burn us all into one coal,

We have deserved it.

Cit. Faith, we hear fearful news.

1 Cit.

For mine own part,

When I said, Banish him, I said, 'twas pity.

2 Cit. And so did I.

3 Cit. And so did I; and, to say the truth, SO did very many of us. That we did, we did for the best; and though we willingly consented to his banishment, yet it was against our will.